If I were an intelligence analyst for a top secret government agency, I would be levelling forests writing memos that said one thing — Musharraf is in trouble now. Why is he in trouble, you ask? Because the opposition has an anthem, and it’s a catchy one.

Any good revolution needs a good song. It’s probably not enough to win; I’m sure there have been revolutions with great anthems that were flattened by the state. And it may not be necessary either, but I’ve gotta tell you, it really helps. A good song serves to rally people around. It provides a constant reminder of the cause, of the struggle. It sneakily undermines the authority of the state every time somebody hums a few bars and is overheard, and it gives courage to those who are wavering. In short, it’s a mistake to underestimate the importance of song when making a revolution. I mean this in a painfully earnest way, there are no smileys here.

The title of the song is “Why doesn’t uncle (i.e. Musharraf) take off his uniform and go home.”

Sung a cappella in Punjabi, it was recorded by religious students in the style of a Punjabi folk song, but its tongue-in-cheek refrains are popular from Karachi to Islamabad, whether its listeners are religious or speak Punjabi or not. [Link]

It’s a funny song, at least if you understand Punjabi, and it was stuck in my head all day. [Updated] The lyrics are quite interesting, and troubling in bits. Some of it calls for Musharraf to leave the Army and retire, but it’s hardly a liberal song. Not only is it pro-Islamicist and anti-American, it’s also anti-women in shorts and pro-Kashmiri separatist. That’s the problem with non-democratic countries, opposition movements often encompass a wide variety of different elements who might not otherwise have found common cause in an open society. The song picks up the sentiment on the street and brings together a variety of different anti-Musharraf feelings, all set to a catchy and easy to sing tune.

I’ve put the video below and the translated lyrics below the fold.

<

p>

UPDATE: I was looking at the comments and reflecting on other examples of similar songs. The defining song for the North in the US Civil War was “John Brown’s Body” which later evolved into the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The US Civil Rights Struggle had We Shall Overcome. The anti-Apartheid struggle had Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, and there is a great movie about the use of song and dance in the struggle, called Amandla. The 2002 Kenyan elections had Unbwogable (listen here).

Can you guys suggest other great strongs of struggle? And if possible, can you give links to either the music or youtube clips? I’m sure there are lots of great songs I missed.

Here are the translated lyrics:

Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Be a man for once, why don’t you?
Stick to your word, why don’t you?

Your time is at an end,
There’s no choice but to say goodbye
Haven’t you gobbled up enough already?
Broken the constitution with your own two hands
Go home with some dignity, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Such high aims you have
To bring European culture right here
Our daughters and sisters run down the street
Running down the street in shorts
Drown yourself to a shameful death, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

You’re always running off to Washington,
Running off to butter up Bush,
Falling to his feet and groveling
And turning around and threatening the weak
Fight the real oppressor, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Evil laid the chess board out
Found their pawn and made a move
You earned the brotherhood defeat
Stood fast by your friend, the Enemy
Be ashamed at your crime, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Struck down and wounded your own people
Cut them up just like a butcher
Evil seems to egg you on
While all of Kashmir curses you
Show your power there, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

You kept murderers close to your heart
What did you get for all this oppression?
For spilling the blood of the Afghans?
For embarrassing Muslims everywhere?
Repent at what you’ve done, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Open your eyes and see
America’s heartless terrorism
Killing people like insects
But honor does not fear power
So show some honor, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?

Thieves and robbers of this nation
They’re all your friends, their bellies full
They run around with impunity
Going around raiding Mosques
Go right off to hell, why don’t you?
Uncle, lose the uniform, why don’t you?
Take your pension and leave, why don’t you?… [Link]